Trust and betrayal
by cheerful-angel57
Summary: [Chapter 5 up, Chapter 1 revised] Sequel to Don't leave me. For all you SetoXSerenity fans! Seto Kaiba asks Serenity to marry him, but the trouble is that things don't end up the way they should be...
1. Chapter I

**Trust and Betrayal**

_Sequel to "Don't Leave Me"_

* * *

Disclaimers: I do not own Yu-gi-Oh.

A/N: This is more or less the sequel to "Don't leave me." You don't have to read this story if you thought the first one was really bad. It's not a problem. But I think this can stand on its own, if you have read many SetoXSerenity fics. This fic occurs about 4 years after the prequel, when everyone graduated from college except Mokuba. I hope you enjoy it! Thanks for the people who reviewed "Don't leave me"... :)

A/N (2): Well, I've been a pretty lousy updater and now's the only time I ever tried revising this fic... so I hope you like the changes I made, and appreciate the story more. Chapter 6 on the way! D

* * *

**Chapter 1  
**

**At the Kaiba Mansion...  
**

It was amazing to find that the elder Kaiba brother, who is currently the busy and powerful CEO of Kaiba Corp., idly hanging around and not doing much. It was pretty much the first time.

He was lying on his bed, his shirt carelessly unbuttoned, deep in thought about his girlfriend Serenity Wheeler. They had been together for already four years; and their relationship was still going strong.

It was perfectly suitable that a young man who was so violently in love to act that way, but it wasn't normal for Seto Kaiba. He was a multi-millionaire, with only few to rival the power he held in his hands, handling a corporation all for the sake of his only family, his brother Mokuba. He felt only unconditional love for the only person he had left, at least that was until he met Serenity Wheeler. He thought she was just some ordinary girl. Plus, she was the sister of his biggest enemy, Joey Wheeler.

He hated Joey more than anyone else he knew, even Yugi, exempting perhaps Maximillion Pegasus.

But when he met Serenity, his whole world came collapsing at his feet. His power, which was his only defense, was completely shattered to the point of vulnerability. Kaiba hated being vulnerable to his enemies, and that was quite enough to ensure that he _didn't _wish to fall for the Wheeler sister. But he did.

He got to know the girl, and began to like her in secret. It was as if a force were driving him towards Serenity. When he finally admitted his true feelings to her, she had returned his ardor. She had the feelings that he had for her inside her heart. It was as if fate had brought them together.

Ever since then, they had been girlfriend and boyfriend. They had only had one incident in their years of dating (See "Don't leave me" for details) and nothing more had challenged them for the next few years.

'_I wonder if it is the time...'_ he thought silently.

He got up and took his cellphone from his bedside table. "Hello, this is Mr. Kaiba. Can you have the florist deliver a bouquet of roses to the Kaiba Mansion?"

"_Of course, sir. What color would you like them?"_ asked his secretary.

"Red." He said and hung up.

He had to wait for a few minutes until his maid had come in the room to give him the flowers. He handed her the money to pay for the roses. Grabbing his coat, he re-buttoned his shirt and raced down the stairs as if he were running a race, and passed Mokuba like a hurricane.

"Seto! What are you rushing for?" asked his younger brother.

"No time to explain." Seto said to his brother. He reached the tip of the staircase and leaped to the doorstep.

The butler opened the door for him as the elder Kaiba brother rushed into his large limousine.

His chauffeur had entered the driver's seat quickly, knowing that his boss was an impatient man.

"To the Wheelers' residence." Kaiba said distractedly.

Once he had arrived, he rang the doorbell.

Joey answered the doorbell after three rings, only to find out it was his worst enemy.

"What do you want Kaiba?" he said through gritted teeth.

Kaiba had an easy retort for Joey. "Nothing mutt. I want to talk to your darling sister, if that's not a problem."

Joey had no choice but to call for his sister. "Hold on, Joey, I'm in the shower." She shouted from the upper flight.

"Come on in so you can wait for her." Joey said gruffly, as if he was surrendering to his enemy.

Kaiba ignored him and stepped in the Wheelers' neat living room, sitting on the couch nearby.

After 5 minutes, Serenity came clambering down the stairs to meet her boyfriend. She was looking radiant as usual, her wet auburn hair hanging about her shoulders, her chocolate colored eyes shining brightly once she had seen Kaiba.

She gave him a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

"Um, Joey, do you mind?" she asked her brother sweetly.

"No. I'll come back if you need anything." He said gruffly, walking out of the living room slowly.

Once the couple was alone, Serenity spoke up. "Seto, it was a nice surprise to find you here! So what are you here for?" She asked curiously.

"Here." Kaiba said shortly, giving her the bouquet of flowers. "How sweet." Serenity said, smiling, admiring the nice display of roses.

"But that's not the only thing I wanted to give you." Kaiba said.

He knelt down on one knee in front of Serenity and took a box from his pocket, holding it in front of him. "Serenity," he murmured. "Will you take the honor of making me the happiest man on earth?" he asked.

Serenity felt as if she could burst of happiness. He was proposing to her!

"Yes, of course!" she exclaimed. He opened the box for her, showing her a ring encrusted with a diamond. "It's beautiful," she whispered. She was truly touched.

"I love you, Serenity Wheeler." He murmured, standing up next to her, bending down to kiss her softly and sweetly on the lips.

"You guys done yet?" said a voice, breaking them apart. Joey had come in while they were making out, seeing the drastic scene in front of him. The two were unable to speak, being too tongue-tied to actually say anything.

Joey's face was indescribable. It was a mix of rage and upset. **"HOW DARE YOU KISS MY SISTER IN FRONT OF ME, KAIBA? DAMN YOU!"** He shouted.

"Joey," Serenity said, rid of her tongue-tied state. "He has made me the happiest girl alive."

"**AND HOW,"** he bellowed, **"IS THAT POSSIBLE?"**

"How much more dense can you be, mutt? I just proposed to your sister, and for your information, she said yes." Kaiba explained.

Joey was even angrier. **"GET THE HELL OUT OF OUR HOUSE, KAIBA! SHE WILL NEVER MARRY YOU!"**

"Look, it's her decision, not yours, mutt! I'm in love with her, and I want to marry her! And neither you nor any other worthless human being on earth can stop me!" Kaiba shouted.

Serenity was shocked when she heard her boyfriend utter those words. It was the first time that he had ever admitted that he loved her in front of somebody. She blushed.

"Stop it, Joey. Seto is right... it is my decision. I love him," she said, tears springing to her eyes. Her fiancé and her brother couldn't keep fighting like this!

Joey flinched. His sister was falling for a freak like Seto Kaiba! And now he was trying to take her away from him! He couldn't let this happen. Kaiba had to be joking!

He glared at Kaiba to test the gravity and seriousness of the statement he just made. Unfortunately, his cold blue eyes didn't reveal any expression.

Basically Joey's fear about Serenity marrying his worst enemy was that he may just be using her. Or he could simply hurt her.

"Serenity! He is just using you!" he cried, hoping that by faint chance his sister would believe him.

"No, Joey. For once, I should follow my heart. I love him, Joey. I can't just let this pass. Don't treat me like a kid anymore! My decisions are mine to make, not yours. I am a free person." She said.

Joey wasn't bound to admit it, but he knew that she was right. She wasn't his slave. It was time to admit defeat, as much as he hated to admit it.

"Fine, Kaiba. You win, but you have to promise me that you have to take good care of her or else you shall answer to me." Joey said in a sad voice.

Serenity was overjoyed. She was going to spend the rest of her life with the man she loved! "Joey..." she murmured softly, touched by his brotherly sacrifice.

She gave him one last hug before she went upstairs to pack her things. She wanted to live with Kaiba until their marriage took place, and Kaiba had agreed. "I love you, Joey." She said quietly, tears staining her cheeks.

"I love you too, Serenity." He said, a pained look on his face. It hurt Serenity to see her brother's face like that.

"We'll see each other again during the marriage ceremony, I promise you, Joey." Serenity promised her brother.

"Really?" he asked, a small choke in his voice.

"Yes." She said.

Then she went upstairs to pack her things. She would be leaving her brother forever. She didn't know how she was going to stand it.

"Come on Seren," Seto called from the staircase.

"Yeah, I'm coming, Seto!" she called back.

She was going to have to deal with a lot of things.


	2. Chapter II

_Chapter 2-Enjoy the happy moments while they last_

Author's note: I'M BAAAAAAAAAAACCCCCCCKKKK!!!! Hahaha. Anyway, if you noticed the chapter title, I really hope that this won't sink you down... Seto and Serenity will have good moments in this chapter! But I'm afraid they won't in the next chapter... aw, I don't know why I even want to make life hell for them... geez. On to the story, then!

Disclaimers: I don't own Yu-gi-Oh!

* * *

Seto's eyes were half open but his vision was a bit blurry. He heard someone calling his name. "Seto..." said the voice sweetly.

"Oh, I know, this will wake you up." Said the voice, the person whom it belonged to had reached down to kiss him softly and sweetly on the lips. He had fully awaken, taking a look at his fiancée. "Rise and shine, Seto." She said, a smile playing along her lips. She was radiant as usual, her chocolate brown eyes sparkling and her auburn hair held tightly by a chopstick.

Seto groaned, pretending to be upset by her waking him up.

He took a little stretch and he stifled a yawn.

"For a CEO in a major company, you sure are a sleepyhead." Serenity joked.

"Hey, who's the sleepyhead whom I dragged home when we were at a dance that lasted until twelve?" he said in a playful tone. "Oh, right. How could I forget." She said sarcastically, crossing her arms.

"And besides, give me a break, I was working late last night." He said. He opened his wardrobe and took out his coat.

"Okay, okay, I'll go easy on you. But that does not mean you will miss breakfast, okay? I don't want you to go hungry." She said.

"More of that you don't want me to starve to death before our wedding." He said, with his dry sense of humor.

"Okay, enough of the joking-I think that you're starting to get corny." She said in a cheerful tone.

Seto smiled to himself. Being with Serenity was just so right. He never felt awkward around her. (Okay, so maybe he had felt awkward around her when they didn't know each other.) But nevertheless he loved being around her. She brightened up his life and showed him the things that he had forgotten-his sense of humanity. All along he was this robot who kept working at a company, not wishing anything in his life, his only source of emotion being his little brother.

But all that changed when Serenity had captured his heart-without his realizing it at first.

He finished his bath and then started with his usual morning routine.

He put on his black coat and his usual red tie with black stripes. His pants were ebony black and his shirt was a dark navy blue with a collar. He simply inserted his feet into his comfortable black shoes, and more or less he was done dressing.

Grabbing his suitcase, he strode down the stairs into the kitchen, keeping Serenity's word about him not missing breakfast.

"Can you please hand me the pitcher there, Mokie?" Seto asked his brother, getting distracted in all of his haste. The was a meeting with some members of the board so Seto had to be there or else he was dead meat. He had been late only once but then it wasn't worth being late another time.

"Gotta run, see ya Mokie, Seren," he said quickly and kissed the two people he cared most about.

So far, good morning. It only mattered on the rest of the day.

* * *

Serenity felt so happy this morning. (She's so innocent but she doesn't know what's coming...Hell, I am so evil to them.)

"So what do ya want to do today, Serenity?" Mokuba's voice rang through her thoughts.

"Aren't you going to school?" she asked.

"Yeah, I'm going. But what are you going to do all day?" He asked her.

"Hmmm... I do not know but I will definitely think of something." She said, smiling at her future brother-in-law. He smiled back. It was his last year at college and he was going to graduate to become a doctor this year.

He chuckled as his pet dog tickled him by licking his face. "Aright, alright, Ralph, stop it, I need to get to school." He told his dog. It was barking loudly.

Serenity laughed.

(Flashback)

One time Mokuba had begged Seto if he could have a dog for his birthday, but Seto utterly refused. "No pets," he had said, but it took one last pained look from Mokuba and Seto allowed him. Serenity herself had been around to witness it.

"Yahoo!" Mokuba had cried and when Mokuba came home with his pet dog, it had come bounding at Seto, licking his face and drooling over his new suit. Serenity had laughed so hard and she was already crying from laughter.

"Serenity! Help..." Seto had groaned and she had no choice but to help him.

"Now this is why I like cats better than dogs." He had said before he went up to change.

(End of flashback)

"Okay, see ya Seren," Mokuba shouted before he left the mansion.

"Bye Mokuba!" she shouted back before the door closed.

She sighed as the butler went to his usual post. Then it started raining outside. She watched the droplets of water splatter on the window.

'What if I go visit Tea or Mai?' she thought. Yeah, that would be a good idea... she had not seen her best friends for a long time because they had gone to separate colleges. Tea decided to go to a college near her home. Serenity went to the same college as Kaiba so that they could keep seeing each other, and Mai went to the same college as Joey. She knew that Joey had an interest in her.

She smiled to herself. So much time has passed since they last saw each other... she could at least visit them and see how much they have changed.

* * *

**Domino City... Gardner residence...**

_Ding-dong! _Went the doorbell at the Gardners' residence.

"Coming!" shouted Tea. She had just finished her shower. She wrapped a floral bathrobe around her smooth, fair skin and climbed out of the bathroom to answer the door. Her friend, Mai Valentine, was stretching her legs on the couch nearby.

She looked in the peephole before opening it for her other best friend, Serenity. "Seren! We haven't seen you in a long time! What a nice surprise!" she exclaimed.

"Yeah, I just stopped by to see you guys." Serenity said quickly. Her jacket was drenched in the cold rainwater but nevertheless she looked radiant.

"Nice to see you Serenity." Mai said, getting off the couch.

"Mai! It's nice to see you too." Serenity said and gave her two best friends a hug.

They hadn't changed much. Serenity sat on the couch beside Mai as Tea clambered back into the bathroom to change to her normal clothes.

"So how are things with Mr. Cold minded CEO?" Mai asked. "Any trouble in paradise?" she added.

"No." Serenity told her. "Actually, he just asked me to marry him..." she said, blushing until her cheeks were flaming red.

Mai could hardly believe her ears. "Wow! Seto Kaiba asked you to marry him?" she repeated. She glanced at Serenity's finger to see the ring encrusted with a big diamond in the center.

"It's so beautiful! Well, Kaiba can score lots of points in the 1st class." Mai said, taking the ring from Serenity.

"Serenity got a ring? Really, can I see?" Tea chimed in, coming out from the kitchen.

"Wow! That must cost a fortune!" Tea exclaimed.

"Yeah, which makes Serenity a lucky girl." Mai said, her fond smile growing wider.

Serenity smiled back at her two friends. She was grateful that they were happy for her.

After all, that's what friends are for, right?

* * *

**Domino City, somewhere in a rich, private neighborhood...**

Joey Wheeler sighed as he got off from the motorcycle. He glanced at the miniature logo of Domino's Pizza at the back of his motorcycle. He was stuck delivering pizza as his job, since he couldn't find one anywhere else.

He stepped up to the gate of 365 Blue Street, Block neighborhood. It looked really nice on the outside of the house.

It reminded him horrendously of Seto Kaiba. 'Not Mr. Moneybags again! I've tried so ever hard to get him out of my head but now he's stuck there! Thanks a lot.' He thought frustratedly.

He slung his black backpack over his shoulder as he rang the doorbell. He took a little sip from his trusty water bottle. Dehydration certainly won't help him now.

One of the housemaids came out to answer the door. She took some time before she got the combination locks of the gate opened.

'Combination locks on the gate? Aren't they kind of tight on security?' Joey thought.

"Can I help you?" asked the maid wearily.

"I came here to deliver some pizza." Joey said flatly, handing over the large rectangular box in his hand.

"Oh, yeah, don't forget the ketchup." He said, handing her a few packets of hot and spicy ketchup.

"Here's the payment." Replied the maid; giving him the money she had crumpled up in her hand.

"Thanks. Anyway, tell your master or mistress, enjoy their meal."

With that last statement, he strode to his motorcycle and mounted it.

Suddenly a voice went through his head. '_We'll see each other again during the marriage ceremony, I promise you, Joey._' It echoed through out his whole journey back to Domino's.

'Serenity...' he thought woefully. She had finally decided on her own future... she was growing up...

But worst of all, she was leaving him. No, that wasn't the right word. Abandoning him was more like it. Abandoning him... for Seto Kaiba? It was too coincidental to be true. How did Serenity fall in love with his enemy, of all men she could have been interested in? There was Duke or Tristan. If she chose to marry one of them, he would have consented. But _Kaiba_?

Kaiba, the one guy who called him loser, mutt, dog, puppy, you name it. Kaiba, the guy who came to their residence just to propose to his sister. Kaiba, the rich CEO of Kaiba Corp. Kaiba, who never cared about anyone but his brother Mokuba. It was too strange, too extraordinary! He would have believed it if it were a fairy tale, but it wasn't. He had to face reality.

Just then, a voice called out his name. He turned around to face him... or her.

"Joey! I'm so glad I saw you there." Serenity said. She was panting as if she just ran a race.

"Where have you been?" Joey asked her.

"Well, I've just been to Tea's house..." she said.

"Oh, I see. You alright?"

"Yeah. I'm all right. Anything I can do for you?" She asked.

Joey shook his head. "Nope. But we can go somewhere while we're still together, right? Wanna catch a movie or something?" he asked.

"Sure!" she agreed. "Okay, but I have to get back to Domino's Pizza first. You can ride behind me." He said.

Somehow, he didn't feel that bad anymore.

* * *

Seto Kaiba was having a hell of a day so he couldn't wait to get back home. There was so much work to do... after all; he was going to take a very long break on his wedding day, and especially the honeymoon.

Thinking of the wedding and the preparations, he thought immediately of Serenity. He knew that it was best to get his work done but he couldn't help but think about his fiancée. Her long auburn hair... the chocolate brown eyes he loved to stare into... her beautiful face... he was happy to know that when their wedding took place, she would be all his.

"Mr. Kaiba, Mr. Inoue is here to see you." His secretary called.

'What could Inoue want?' Kaiba thought impatiently. Mr. Inoue was one of his partners in business.

"Send him in." he replied gruffly.

Mr. Inoue was a plump man with a kind face. "Kaiba, I got some incredible news for you," he began.

Kaiba leaned forward, with calmness in his voice as he spoke. "Really. Why don't you tell me about it." He said.

"See, the Americans we work with are going to endorse the Duel Disk System you made... they're going to multiply it and

sell it all over America. Isn't that just terrific?" said Inoue.

Kaiba was way far from being pleased. He was just disturbed from his office work to be told by some associate that they were going to sell his Duel Disk System?

To Mr. Inoue's surprise, Kaiba gave him the ever-famous "death" glare. (A/N: What else would you expect from Kaiba?) "Get the hell out of my office." he said in a cool, calm voice and Inoue knew that it was time to disappear.

'These people really DON'T know me. They should know that I do not want to be disturbed when I have heavy paperwork...' he thought furiously.

'I will be so glad when I get out of this hellhole and see Mokuba's and Serenity's sweet faces.' He thought, sweat dripping down his neck.

* * *

Kaiba had only gotten home when one of his employees came to him telling him about an important call. 'What is it this time?' he thought impatiently.

He picked up the phone and uttered a brisk "Hello."

"_Mr. Kaiba! This is Mr. Tetsaki, the CEO of Tetsaki Corp. I heard that Mr. Inoue has told you about the deal." _

'Tetsaki. What the hell could he want?' Kaiba thought once more.

"Yes, he did. What about it?"

"_Well, he was also about to tell you that you were invited by Mr. Fangborn, our American business associate, to America to help out with the sales of your Duel Disk System." _

'Now can I say no? Damn it!' he thought.

"I'll see what I can do about it. Did you schedule my flight?" he asked curtly.

"_Yes, Mr. Fangborn did. Although he scheduled it on a public plane, if you don't mind." _

"Ok, whatever." Kaiba grunted. "I'll go. How long will this thing be?"

"_Mr. Fangborn said it would take about a week," _Tetsaki said.

"A WEEK?" Kaiba exclaimed. His wedding was at stake! Serenity will NEVER forgive him.

"_What's the matter?" _

"HELLO? I'M GETTING MARRIED THIS WEEK, DAMN IT!" Kaiba swore.

"_Come on, Mr. Kaiba, can't you reschedule?" _

"I'll see." He said curtly and dropped the receiver.

"What's the matter, Seto?" asked Serenity. She had just come through the door.

"Serenity... would you believe it? One of my damn business partners invited me to America. They're going to duplicate the Duel Disk System I created and sell the merchandise." He announced flatly.

"Wow, Seto, that's great!" Serenity exclaimed. "How long will it take?"

"Um, about a week." He said.

"B-but, our wedding... right?" Serenity's lower lip quivered.

Kaiba didn't answer.

"But, I guess it should wait... after all, you have to work, right? I can wait." She said cheerfully.

"Okay." Kaiba said. He was glad that Serenity was considerate of him.

He would have to pay her back, somehow... 'Oh, well. I guess I have to enjoy the happy moments while they last...' he thought flatly.

(A/N: Yep, Kaiba, you're right. Enjoy the happy moments while they last...)

* * *

End of Chapter 2! I took quite a time doing this. Next time I guess I have to exert more effort, ne? Okay, last part!

Joey: WHAT DO YOU MEAN, ENJOY THE HAPPY MOMENTS WHILE THEY LAST??? WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU THINKING?

U.R.: That's the title of the chapter, idiot. Can't you read, Joey???

Joey: I CAN!

Kaiba: You can't, you mutt. I mean, you're a dog, can dogs even read?

Joey: I HEARD THAT, KAIBA!

Serenity: JOEY! Don't pick a fight!

Kaiba: Your sister's right, mutt. See, she's even more intelligent than you are.

Joey: Grrr...

Serenity: WHO ARE YOU TO CALL MY BROTHER A MUTT?

Kaiba: Oh, so now another Wheeler is picking a fight with me. I was wrong, after all. The Wheelers are BOTH idiots.

U.R.: Shut it, Kaiba! You'll see, I'm going to bring something that can blackmail you in the next chapter!

Kaiba: And what'll that be, kid? Your stuff toy?

U.R.: NO. You'll see!

Kaiba: Hmph. You do that. Like I care.

U.R.: YOU ASKED FOR IT!!! Hehehe... see you guys in the next chapter! We-ell... bye, bye! Please review!!! And don't forget to tell me if you have any comments or suggestions. Or perhaps violent reactions. All accepted!!!


	3. Chapter III

Chapter 3-Drawing apart

Disclaimers: As usual, I don't own Yu-gi-Oh!

A/N: O-okay, I'm back again… this is the start of the angsty part!! I regret to inform you that in this chapter, Seto and Serenity will be once again, torn apart… I mean, there's no story if there's no problem, right? Anyways, I'm SO SORRY about not replying to the reviews… MY BAD!!! I thought I replied but stupid me, I forgot to check out the quick edit and preview. Anyways, I'll just answer them now…

**swt-honey-angel: **_yup it is the sequel. :) I know, I could have just left Setoand Serenity alone but I just couldn't help it… bwahaha! I'm really evil… anyways, thanks for the review! _

**VeryShortMidget, lil twin stars, Drago Kai: **_thanks! Glad you liked the sequel! _

**Yamiko Yakou: **_(evil laugh) sort of… :) you'll see… thanks for the review!!!_

**Drago Kai**: _actually something bad will happen to them before the wedding… that's why the wedding will have to wait… oh well… my bad… _

* * *

**5:30 A.M., Kaiba Mansion**

Kaiba glanced at his watch. It was 5:30 A.M. He peeked into his little brother's room.

He left a note on his bedside table, reminding him to do his homework and all the necessary stuff.

He also went by Serenity's room, hesitating at the door because he thought it was quite rude to barge into a girl's bedroom while she was still sleeping. But he went in anyway because he knew that she wouldn't be seeing him for a week.

He saw Serenity's sleeping figure on the bed. He fought the urge to kiss her goodbye (A/N: You know, he should have done that). Instead he left a note saying that he would be back home in time for their wedding. He took one last glance at her and he left her room, closing the door quietly behind him.

The maids and home staff were up early and they quickly prepared him a cup of coffee and brought his suitcases to the limousine. He nodded curtly to his butler and entered his limo, which was parked in front of the mansion.

His chauffeur drove him to the airport a few minutes later, where he was quite early and he was able to get another cup of coffee at the nearest Starbucks. 'I just hope that this thing will not take more than a week,' Kaiba thought as he took a sip from the cup of coffee he was drinking.

* * *

**7:02 A.M., Kaiba Mansion**

Serenity Wheeler woke up at about 7:00 in the morning. She looked through the window glass and she saw the balls of hail pelting down on it. It was not often that they had a hailstorm. She dressed herself briskly and went to meet Mokuba in the kitchen. The maids had already prepared their morning breakfast.

Mokuba was done eating; he was leafing through the newspaper. "Aren't you supposed to be at school today?" she asked him.

"Nope, they cancelled school because it's a school holiday. It's the last day of our newspaper drive and they thought we deserved a holiday after all the newspapers we collected." Mokuba explained. He folded up the newspaper he was holding and put it on the table where the other papers were.

He flopped on the couch and turned on the TV.

He flicked through the channels while Serenity ate her meal. She was just about to take a sip of hot cocoa when she heard the news channel for the morning.

"_The weather is quite bad today, so most of our flights were cancelled. There was one early flight which took off before 6 A.M. this morning, flight 216, from Japan to America." _The news reporter announced.

Serenity nearly choked. 'Is this a coincidence? Seto said that his flight leaves before seven, and he's going to America… tell me that he's alright.' She thought worriedly.

"Did you hear that, Serenity?" Mokuba said, echoing the thoughts in her head.

Serenity's lip quivered as she nodded. "Yes." She answered softly. 'Oh God, please let nothing happen to Seto…' she thought weakly.

"_We have warned Flight 216 but they were too far already from Japan. We are sorry to report that it may crash."_

Mokuba glanced at Serenity, evidently dumbstruck. She looked so pale that she was about to come down with some disease. Mokuba caught her as she fainted.

* * *

**7:00 A.M., Domino Airport**

Seto Kaiba stared grimly at his watch. His flight was delayed, and his plane was supposed to be due in America for about 15 hours. Now he had to wait. All the flights had been delayed, saying that weather reports were firm.

He brought out his laptop so his boredom would diminish.

This was SO damn boring. The hail had delayed his trip. 'I knew I should have taken my private plane. Of all the stupidity!' Kaiba thought angrily.

'Shit. This can't happen to me! Of all the rotten luck.' Kaiba swore in his brain, his temper rising up. 'Stupid hailstorm… Of all the days for it to come.'

He leaned on the airport bench with no comfort at all.

* * *

**7:15 A.M., Kaiba Mansion**

"Serenity? Are you all right?"

She opened her eyes and she discovered that she was lying on the couch.

"You just fainted." Mokuba said grimly. He was bending over her.

"I'm fine." She said as she sat up to listen to the TV.

Serenity bit her lip as she gripped the couch's pillow tightly. She was still listening for more news of flight 216, which she was pretty sure that Seto was in.

'Seto, please be all right,' she thought silently. She didn't know when she would burst to tears, but she was successful in holding them back for now.

Mokuba came near her and patted her back. "Don't worry Serenity; my brother's tough. He won't let a stupid plane crash bother him." He said, his voice quivering slightly.

"O-okay…" Serenity answered faintly, her voice quivering.

She shivered under the blanket that Mokuba had provided her. "Oh, Mokuba… I just can't bear it if he… if he… died." Serenity said, getting the words out of her mouth.

"I don't think I can, either. Let's just wait and hope for the best. Perhaps the guy up there will be kind as to not let Seto be killed." Mokuba said reassuringly.

* * *

**8:30 A.M., Flight 218 Japanese Airlines **

Kaiba was so killed by boredom and by the time he got on the plane, he had absolutely nothing to do. 'Damn… should have known… I'm going to get a book from the bookstore. It'll kill this dumb boredom.' He thought moodily. He brought his book on board the plane and started to read.

* * *

**10:00 A.M., Kaiba Mansion…**

"_We are sorry to inform you that Flight 216 has crashed. Please stay tuned for more news." _

The news made Serenity hardly believe her ears. It _crashed? _But it can't be…

Mokuba stiffened and blinked back several tears. 'Mokuba's… crying?' she thought, blinking through her own tears.

"Serenity…" Mokuba moaned, and she enveloped him in a hug.

_Seto just couldn't be dead… it was nearly impossible. Yet it was also possible._

**9:00 P.M., Kaiba Mansion, Serenity's room**

That night Serenity hadn't the heart to talk to anyone, but the phone was ringing like crazy. "For you, Miss Serenity," called the maid, giving her the cordless. "I'm sorry, I can't talk to anyone right now." She said softly, tears emblazoned on her eyes. She knew that it was her friends, but she didn't want to hear all those sympathetic words and pitiful voices. She didn't want to be pitied. She just needed some time alone.

Couldn't anyone understand that?

* * *

**10:00 A.M., the Wheelers' apartment…**

"_Joey!!! Listen, something bad has happened!" _Tea practically shouted on the phone.

"What?" Joey said impatiently. He didn't have the time to listen to any news. "You call me on the phone only to shout in my ear that there's something not right?"

"_Yes, there IS something wrong! I know it sounds a bit impossible, but… Kaiba's dead!" _

Joey snorted. Something was not right in Tea's head. Why the hell would he care if Kaiba was dead? He even kind of wished it last night, that Kaiba was dead and the wedding didn't have to go on, and Serenity would come back to live with him again. Too bad that it was only a dream. A mere thought. "Am I supposed to cry, or something?" he asked in a calm, annoyed voice.

Tea sighed. _"Hello, Joey! I know that he's your enemy and all, but do you care about Serenity?" _she asked exasperatedly.

"What's that got to do with Serenity?" he asked suspiciously.

"_Duh! Didn't you hear that they were getting married this week?"_

"Yeah, and so?"

"_Joey!! You're so dense. Serenity's obviously crying! I mean, which person wants to lose her fiancé right before their wedding? I mean, I thought that as a brother you ought to comfort her!" _

Joey yelped. He totally forgot about Serenity's feelings about this. He regretted thinking that Kaiba was dead.

But he was. He just plain _was. _

"How did he die?"

"_Didn't you watch the news?"_

"Obviously not! Why would I be asking you if I knew the whole story?"

"_Oh, fine then, his plane to America crashed. I just heard it right now. I think it is his plane. I'm just not sure."_

"Oh shit. Fuck my ass if Kaiba hadn't survived that." Joey swore.

"_What are you waiting for? Call Serenity!" _Tea demanded.

"Okay, I'm going to." Joey said and hung the phone up. He immediately dialed the Kaiba's residence.

"_Hello? Kaiba residence."_

"'Lo, can I speak to Serenity Wheeler?" he inquired.

"_Hold on a second." _

Joey played with the cord of the phone, hoping that Serenity would talk to him.

"_I'm sorry, Miss Serenity says that she doesn't wish to talk to anyone. Would you like to leave a message?" _

"No thanks. Just tell her that… her brother called." Joey said, then hung up dismally. He would have to pay a visit to the Kaiba Mansion tomorrow.

* * *

**Next day, Kaiba Mansion**

Serenity didn't sleep a wink. She kept thinking about Seto, and how difficult it was to let go of the subject. She didn't need anyone's sympathy-she just needed her time alone. Can't they leave her at peace?

She had eye bags under her eyes when she came to breakfast the next day. Mokuba was also teary-eyed, much to her surprise. She rarely saw boys cry, but she knew that poor Mokuba loved Seto very much, as much as she did.

She understood what Mokuba felt. The meal was outright silent, both Mokuba and Serenity ate without another distraction.

"I'm going to find work." She told Mokuba discreetly and closed the door behind her.

The people on the street were pure torture. One kid was saying to his mom, "Hey, isn't that the nice girl who was going to be married to Mr. Kaiba?" he asked. She almost wanted to snap at the kid, "Please mind your own business!" but she guessed her conscience went against her.

As she rode on the subway train to find some occupation, a work she could do… she flicked the newspapers to the advertisements.

'Wanted, a secretary for Grover's Corporation… very much appreciated, a girl who can plant trees and grow them, here at Domino Gardens. Wanted, an interior designer with a good sense of style, Interior designing corp.' Serenity read as she glanced from page to page, reading her eyes out.

"Hey Serenity!" said a kind voice. She spun towards the direction where the voice came from. It was her old friend, Duke Devlin. She had not forfeited their friendship ever since, and it was a long time since she last saw him.

"Hey," Serenity answered quietly, afraid that she might burst into tears on the spot. He reminded her so much of Kaiba. Dark hair, good looks, and a style of his own. (A/N: By the way, I am not a fan of DukeXSerenity. SETOXSERENITY FOREVER!!!)

Duke twirled a strand of his dark hair around his finger. He was cute, for Serenity, but she missed Kaiba even more when she started looking at him. Her heart started hammering in her chest as she remembered her deceased fiancé.

"Is everything alright?" Duke asked, apparently concerned.

"Ye-no." Serenity answered reluctantly. She felt weird, about to tell Duke Devlin the whole story on a train. Duke Devlin, of all the damned people. She couldn't even talk to her best friends about it. She knew that they would just sympathize about her situation. 'Who wouldn't? They always do that. I do NOT need anyone's advice or sympathy. Who turns up everyday with a dead lover?' she thought horridly. She knew she was being unfair to everyone, but she couldn't stand it, nor could she help her attitude.

So she told Duke Devlin about it.

* * *

"Tea!!! HELP ME!" Joey practically shouted to the phone.

"_What?" _Tea answered impatiently.

"It's about Serenity! What if she was so caught up with the creep and KILLED herself??? Tristan mentioned it to me a while ago and I'm beginning to think it's true!!! I called the bastard's mansion a while ago and asked for Serenity, but she wasn't there!!!" Joey screamed.

"_Whoah, whoah, whoah, Joey! Calm down! I'm pretty sure Serenity didn't kill herself; she's too sensible for something stupid like that. But I warn you Joey, if she really did love Kaiba that much, she might do it. Stop being so pathetic, Joey, it's not manlike to whimper." _Tea said calmly.

Joey couldn't help whimpering. If Serenity killed herself, he would never forgive himself. He was supposed to take care of his little sister, and if anything happened to her, he'd be responsible. Oh, he knew something like this would happen. He KNEW that Serenity shouldn't have let Serenity marry that jerk!

He would just break her heart. And… he just did. 'Damn him! Damn that fucker! Fuck him!' Joey fumed. (A/N: Hey, I don't swear that often like Joey does, okay? It just fits with the story. I only swear when I really know that something is just, I don't know, DAMNED. Okay, bye)

"_Joey! Are you still there? Don't tell me YOU killed YOURSELF!" _Tea said, sounding horrified.

"NO! I didn't, I was just thinking, damn it! Can't I think about it?" Joey snapped.

"_Look, Joey, she really loves Kaiba, and you were right in letting her marry him. She LOVES him. You can't stop that. Okay? You did the right thing. It's up to Serenity to realize if she wants to hang on to him still or find a new guy. Leave her alone for a while. I know how she feels." _Tea advised.

"Okay. Fine, whatever… See ya." Joey almost slammed the phone back in the receiver. He had to find a way to tell Serenity that Kaiba was a no-good sucker. But she didn't want to talk to him! How would have convince her?

'Kaiba, damn it, come back from the graveyard and go back to Serenity! Whatever, just make her happy!' Joey thought.

* * *

A/N: Ooh… man, my writing sucks!!!! I actually let Serenity and Mokuba think that Seto is dead??? How evil can I get??? Oh man… but I think Kaiba can communicate with Serenity and Mokuba right? He's rich after all… I guess it's in the next chapter. That's all… please review! Thanks for the reviews in the last chapter! :) Flames and any kind of review is greatly welcomed. Any comments? Suggestions? Violent reactions? Okay, that's all for now, I g2g… by the way sorry for not being able to update for a REALLY long time… sorry about that!!! Hope I can update soon… 


	4. Chapter IV

**Chapter 4**

* * *

Disclaimers: Once again, I don't own Yu-gi-Oh.

A/N: Ooh… I actually let Serenity and Mokuba think that their loved one is DEAD! How bad can I get? Anyways, thanks so much for the reviews! I know I really suck in writing sometimes…

* * *

Duke was glad that he found Serenity in the very train he was on. It was quite a pleasant surprise, actually. He had loved Serenity ever since she had set foot in Domino.

Right now, he was listening to her troubles and sitting by her, comforting her especially when she needed a friend by her side. He was still angry at Seto Kaiba for taking Serenity away from him. His emotions had never faded until now, and when he gently touched Serenity's hand, entwining it in his, his heart hammered against his chest. It could have burst out of his chest while he was caressing her fingers softly.

He looked at her with a sincere smile. Serenity smiled back amidst her tears, and Duke handed her a handkerchief. "Don't worry, Serenity. It's time to move on. Forget Kaiba… he can't be here for you anymore… but I can." He said hopefully, still looking at his one true love with his expressive green orbs.

He knew that she didn't want any sympathy. He knew how it felt like, to lose a loved one. He hadn't wanted any pity from his friends at that time. So now, he was treating Serenity like nothing had happened to her.

"Thanks Duke. I don't know what'd I do without you." She said, using her other hand to wipe her tears away. "You must think I'm really stupid." She said sadly, tugging once more at Duke's heartstrings.

"No, you know I don't think that you're stupid." Duke said quietly. "I experienced this once, and it was simply horrible." Duke said, recalling a past memory.

Serenity was touched by his kind words to her, and glad that he had treated her as a normal person, as if nothing had happened to her. Her friends had been doing nothing but try to take sympathy on her and take pity on her. How many times did she have to say that she didn't want their pity? (A/N: Damn, why do I keep repeating this stuff? I'm really sorry if I have to repeat these words later on.)

Suddenly she felt like she wanted to cry. She didn't know why she was thinking this, but the pain she felt from last night was just coming back to her.

"Oh Duke… I don't know how to explain this… but…" she let all the tears spill out, letting her body lean onto his. He rocked her body slowly, putting his arms around her. "Don't worry, Seren. I'm here. I know what you're thinking. But Kaiba is in the past now. Let him go, Seren. I know it's hard, but once you do, I promise you, you won't get hurt again. I swear." Duke said soothingly.

Serenity gripped his neck tightly, clamping her head to his shoulder. _'If Seto saw me like this, he'd be furious. I'd just lost him but now I'm in the arms of another guy. Does that mean I'm destined to be with Duke?'_ she thought confusedly.

Suddenly Duke pulled her out of their embrace and whispered in her ear, "Are you free tonight?"

Serenity nearly freaked out. _'Duke is asking me for a date?'_ She thought quickly. Oh, God. She had just gotten out of a romantic relationship, and now she was heading for another one! Don't say yes Serenity.

"Um… yeah, I guess so." She answered reluctantly after studying Duke's emerald green eyes.

"Want to come catch a movie with me?" he asked.

"Um…" Here she hesitated. Should she agree or disagree?

"Um… I guess that'd be okay." She said weakly.

She wondered later on if she regretted her answer.

* * *

**In America… 11:30 P.M…**

And now, we focus on our famous CEO Seto Kaiba.

"WHAT THE HELL! I GOT INTO THIS KIND OF HOTEL?" A voice sounded loudly echoing to at least almost every hall in the small rickety inn.

"Um… yes Mr. Kaiba." Answered the bellboy nervously. (A/N: Who wouldn't be afraid of Kaiba?)

"THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE A FIVE STAR HOTEL! DAMN IT! YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE A PHONE HERE!"

"Um, Mr. Kaiba, this used to be a five-star hotel but the original owners of this house neglected to change the sign outside." Said the bellboy, still carrying Kaiba's suitcases.

"WHAT THE DAMN HELL!" Kaiba shouted once again. "I'm going to sue you people, you didn't tell me that this wasn't a five-star hotel! If I were to rate this thing, I would say one star! No, ZERO!"

"We're sorry, Mr. Kaiba! Mr. Tetsaki said that you would be staying here and I think he got the wrong hotel number-"

"DAMN TETSAKI! HAND ME A PHONE!"

"Um, sir, we don't have one. We couldn't afford it-"

"AND JUST WHO DO YOU THINK I AM, HUH?"

"Um, at once sir." The bellboy said hurriedly, dashing out of the door.

Kaiba slumped into one of the dirty, unfurnished seats. _'They call this a HOTEL? This is a slum!'_ Kaiba thought furiously.

'_Damn Tetsaki, he told me to come and check in this thing?' _

He doubted that the stupid bellboy even knew where the nearest telephone was.

His thoughts shifted to Serenity. _'I wonder how she's doing now? Is she thinking of me?'_ he thought, dreaming of holding her tenderly in his arms once again. He almost wished that he brought her with him to America. His gaze fell on the engagement ring, its identical twin on Serenity's finger. He missed her a lot just by looking at the ring. _'God, I really am in love with her… I should tell her again when I come back… I wish this week would go by faster.'_ He thought, impatient as he always was, and forever will be. (A/N: Unless he changes that, of course.)

The bellboy came back a minute later, his cap out of place. "There is a payphone with Mr. Davidson in the concierge downstairs sir." He said in a rush.

"Fine." He said curtly and nodded at the boy.

He saluted and rushed out of the room, eager to be out of Kaiba's sight.

Kaiba himself went down to the concierge, trying his best not to lose his temper in front of them, remembering that Serenity was patient.

"Good evening Mr. Kaiba. We have just been informed that you have checked in to the wrong hotel, since we recently phoned Mr. Tetsaki. He made a mistake with the hotel's name and you are going to be taken in a limousine to the correct hotel." An old man said politely.

"Okay." Kaiba said simply, checking his organizer.

So it was a mistake after all. Good for him.

* * *

Larissa Thorneley checked her watch silently. It was 11:30 P.M., and she was still out on the streets. If her parents knew that she was out this late, she would be so dead. It was a good thing that she lived in a dorm right now, or else…

She had just been in the bar, dissing herself off because her boyfriend had left her. She had been pissing nights off just by drinking alcohol. She had about 5 glasses and all you readers know it's fatal.

'Any minute now, I just know it…' she thought faintly, unable to shove a strand of golden blond hair backwards because she was so dizzy and so weak. She was about to collapse. Then she knew nothing more.

* * *

"Hey. Are you all right?" asked a kind voice.

It zapped Larissa into the living world. "Um… I'm fine." She said, fidgeting. She saw a man dressed in a lab trench coat standing right in front of her.

'_Where am I anyway?'_ she thought. She looked at her surroundings.

"You are at a hospital." The doctor said in a clear voice, as if reading her mind. Larissa nearly fainted when she heard those words. A hospital? Oh, she was so dead. They would probably have known that she had been taking drugs last night, and then her parents would know and then she would be kicked out from school-

"Now let's get this straight." Said the doctor, adjusting his trench coat.

She knew it. She just knew it. Any minute now, he was going to start questioning her about the drugs she was taking-

"Is Seto Kaiba your boyfriend, or any relation of yours?"

She blinked at him with a creased forehead. "What?" she asked lamely.

"Is Seto Kaiba your boyfriend or relative?"

"No. I don't even know who he is." She said blandly. Who the hell was this Seto Kaiba? Surely he was foreign because no American name was like that.

"Well, young lady, you'd better be grateful. He was the one who saved your life."

"Um, doc, what exactly happened to me?"

The doctor sighed. "I'm sorry that I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Doctor Farley. You had collapsed on the street as Mr. Kaiba told me, and he was in his limousine passing by the street you collapsed on, and he brought you to the hospital at once. He is an incredibly intelligent young man, and figured out that you were taking drugs." Doc Farley narrowed his eyes at this statement. Larissa gave him a guilty look.

"I can explain. See, I had this boyfriend that I really devoted myself to, and then he dumped me. I've been drinking ever since he left me." She concluded lamely.

"Ms. Thorneley, it's not proper to drink even if you are suffering heartbreak. You can go to a psychologist, but don't drink. We have plenty of drug addicts here and we don't want you to be one of them. These men and women don't have much chance of a happy future. I'm sure you don't want that." Doctor Farley explained in evident exasperation.

"Yes, Doc." She said ashamedly. She felt an immediate blush rise to her cheeks.

"Oh, and Mr. Kaiba wants to see you. Here he is." Doc Farley said and opened the door. A really, really handsome young man came into the room. Larissa's heart started beating faster as she saw him. _'Ohmigosh, could he be the one?'_ she thought, her heart beating quickly every second. His hair was neatly combed, bangs falling to his eyes, and delicate sky blue eyes. His handsome physical features amazed her.

Kaiba sat down and crossed his arms. "So. Ms. Thorneley, Doctor Farley tells me that you're in a right state." He said. He had a curt, gruff voice.

Her face glowed. "Yes, I'm fine. Thanks for asking." She said, playing with her fingers. There were butterflies in her stomach. She could barely move.

"Ok, fine. I just wanted to make sure you are okay before I leave." He said, standing up.

'_Larissa, go on! STOP HIM!' _she ordered herself. "Um… hey wait!" she said.

He turned back to look at her. _'Now you've done it, Larissa. Now what are you going to say?' _she got angry with herself for being so confident.

"I just um… I really want to thank you for rescuing me. If you didn't, I'd probably be dead." She said gratefully.

"Okay. That's fine. Just take care of yourself." He said curtly.

He closed the door. _'Damn, he seems so perfect… could he be the one?'_ she asked herself. _'I need to find out more about him.' _She decided. Forget her boyfriend; he was history.

* * *

A/N: Ooh… so this OC of mine is gonna go after our dashing CEO Kaiba huh:) So… what do you think:) Good? Crap? Please review! Any kind of review welcome. :) 


	5. Chapter V

**Chapter 5 **

* * *

Disclaimers: I don't own Yu-gi-Oh.

* * *

Larissa Thorneley got up on a bright morning, clutching her bed sheets to her body. It was 8:15 A.M., and she was eager to make a good start on the day. But first she had to get out of the hospital at once.

"Ms. Thorneley, here's your breakfast." Said the nurse, emerging from the hallway.

Larissa nodded her head and let the nurse put the tray on the table next to her. She shifted her body to face the nurse. "Um, miss, has anyone called Seto Kaiba stopped by this morning?" she asked politely.

The nurse scrunched her face in concentration. "Why, yes. He stopped by to see you. He was making sure you were all right from your ordeal last night. He's a tall man with broad shoulders, blue eyes and brown hair?"

"Yeah, that's him. Did he leave an address or number where I can contact him?" Larissa asked, shoving her long blond hair behind her ears.

"Um, he didn't but Mr. Tetsaki called to say that Mr. Kaiba would be staying at Brimland Hotel." The nurse replied.

"Okay, thanks." Larissa said distractedly, picking up the tray from her bedside table. She needed to eat. After all, she didn't want to visit Kaiba with an empty stomach.

* * *

"_Serenity…" she could hear a voice calling out to her. _

"_Seto!" she called numbly._

_She ran to his embrace… His arms were tight around her… "Serenity…" his sweet, gruff voice whispered in her ear. His familiar scent reached her nose. She inhaled deeply… She would give up everything just to be in his arms forever…_

_Then his grip loosened and she pulled back in surprise._

_His face changed drastically into Duke Devlin's. To her surprise, she felt like a piece of her was renewed again… Like Duke was a half of her that she could not remove… _

_She was staring deeply into his eyes, feeling confusion. Her heart was beating madly. Who did she really care about? Seto or Duke? She was confused. _

"_Serenity… forget Kaiba… stay with me…" Duke beckoned her, enclosing her into a hug._

_She burst into tears and she couldn't help but hug him back. _

Serenity Wheeler woke up with a start. She felt numb… She felt lonesome. She couldn't take it anymore… she didn't even know what to do. Should she even talk to anyone today? She was confused… Who DID she like?

Serenity shoved her bed sheets aside. She was getting up today, whether she liked it or not. AND she won't think about her present love triangle until later.

* * *

Joey Wheeler groaned as he stretched his arms in the air. He had just woken up at the sound of the stupid alarm clock. _'It's a good thing I'm early today.'_ He thought.

He yawned and stretched his arms even more, getting used to the bright sunlight. It was shining through his bedroom window, and he was in a cheerful mood.

He had gotten used to the early morning routine with Serenity and he was not apt to forget it. Serenity was the one who usually got up first, and finished up first. She was the one who usually came banging at his door whenever he was running late.

But today… there was no call from his sister. He sighed. He had been expecting it until he remembered that his sister had gone to live with a creep whom he never even trusted. _'There's got to be something in the law about that kind of stuff! I knew he would hurt her… damn that bastard! He said he wouldn't do anything to hurt Serenity. And he did, damn it…'_ Joey thought, swearing. He shouldn't have! He just KNEW it.

Joey knew that he had to take this with the higher authorities or something, but he had no guts to do so. _'What the hell will happen if they see the other case better than mine? I won't stand a chance if I have a bad detective. I don't have that much money to hire a good one… I have to think of something else…' _Joey thought, banging his fist on the table.

He had to find a way to make his sister happy without having to mention the creep.

Joey paced, thinking all the while. _'Maybe I should ask Tristan… hey wait! That's a good idea!'_ Joey thought excitedly and dialed Tristan's number.

"'Lo, Tristan! It's me Joey. Hey listen, I have a problem about Serenity."

"_Hey, Joey. What, are you going to let me court her?" _Tristan said in a happy tone.

Joey rolled his eyes. "You didn't hear the news did you? Kaiba died and Serenity doesn't want to talk to me. Can you please check her out for me?" Joey asked, keeping his patience intact.

"_Well, no problem. See ya later Joey." _Tristan said and hung up.

Joey hung up, confident that he had gotten the situation straight. That was totally great—Tristan was going to check Serenity out for him. In the meantime, he could ask Tea or Mai what to do about Serenity. _'Next time, they should call me the ultimate genius Joey.'_ Joey thought, every ounce of courage in him as he got up.

* * *

"WHAT!"

Mai Valentine gaped at Joey Wheeler, her mouth wide open.

"I just told you, Mai. I don't know what to do about it. She never lets me talk to her. And I'm her brother for God's sakes! I'm the right person to talk to her. But she doesn't want to. Tristan was going to check her up for me."

"Joey, you're the most insensitive brother ever." Mai commented, a frown on her Barbie-doll-like face.

"But-"

"Joey… Serenity's your sister! You shouldn't give up. Go to Serenity! Find out what's wrong."

"Gee… I didn't know that I was being insensitive…" Joey said.

"GO!"

"Alright, fine, fine."

* * *

"I'm sorry miss, but Mr. Kaiba is busy at the moment. He told me that he didn't want to be disturbed. Please come back a bit later." The woman at the front desk told Larissa.

"But you don't understand!" Larissa cried, pretending to be desperate. "I'm his girlfriend! I must see him!" She had always had no trouble in acting. She had taken a drama class in elementary, and was glad to find out that she still had her skill.

The woman was already looking confused. She looked as if she didn't know what to do. _'Great, it's working!' _Larissa thought happily.

"I'll let you in. But I have to ask Mr. Kaiba first if he does know you." She said and used the phone for a little while, using discreet tones so that Larissa wouldn't hear. Larissa took the cue and turned around, tapping her fingers and humming a tune.

Then the personnel got off the phone and gave her the necessary information she needed.

She headed up the large, furnished elevator. She adjusted her appearance as she peered into the mirror beside her. She had especially fixed up herself that morning. Taking permission from the nurse, she had carefully applied light make-up on her soft features. She had combed out the split ends on her light brown hair and made it as straight as possible. Now she was pretty sure she could pass off as a super model going to her shoot.

She thought about what she could say to Kaiba as she ascended to the 25th floor as the woman in the front desk informed her.

* * *

The intelligent CEO was checking out his paperwork as Larissa Thorneley entered. "Um, hi," she began shyly.

He turned his swiveling chair to face her. His eyes were the same sky blue orbs that she had remembered from the hospital.

"Hello." He said civilly. "Ms. Thorneley, if I'm not mistaken?" he asked. She nodded.

"What do you want?"

"To offer you a thank-you-gift… for rescuing me yesterday," Larissa said eagerly, reaching for her handbag.

"I don't need it, Ms. T-"

"Please, call me Larissa."

"Fine. But no thank you, you don't need to offer me any gift. I just happened to see you out on the streets." Kaiba said, dismissing her offer thoroughly.

"But I just want to-"

"No thank you."

Larissa raised her eyebrows. She had never seen someone so uneager to receive something. "Well… if you don't want to, I can just leave it on the table. Goodbye," she said, with a smile unfazed on her mouth.

Kaiba was actually shocked by her nerve, but he was used to it. He was calm as she left the room. And then he looked at the piece of paper that she had put on the table. It was a free promo of Starbucks Coffee, admitting one free frapuccino.

* * *

**Back in Japan…**

Serenity was already dressed by the time Duke Devlin had picked her up. It was 8:00 in the evening and as usual, a dark, gloomy night. She still missed Seto, and this night reminded her of him. She remembered their dates in the evening, when Joey was out and she was free to go out with him. They usually ate in restaurants and danced for fun (She taught him the dance steps) and even if she had aching toes by the end of the night, she quite enjoyed Seto's company. _'Oh, Seto… I wish you're here with me…' _

She tried to imagine that Kaiba was Duke Devlin, but still he was not.

"Serenity!" someone she recognized as Duke called.

"Hi, Duke." After greetings and how-do-you-do's were exchanged, they took a short stroll.

After that came dinner at a restaurant. Nothing significant happened for Serenity, since she was too busy thinking of another guy.

* * *

A/N: Gotta cut it there, I'm sorry… I'm sorry I haven't updated this in a long, long time! So it's about time I uploaded this… Please read and review, I'll try getting the next chapter up as quickly as possible. 


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